OVERVIEW
The CRED is currently accepting applications for the Twelfth Annual Pilot Project Program, to be funded in 2008. Successful applications will target important areas of research in the field of Environmental Health Sciences that relate directly to the mission and goals of the CRED.
The overall objective of the CRED is to study the mechanisms by which environmental factors may cause or influence human disease and to develop methods for early detection, prevention, and control of environmentally related diseases. The theme is to define host responses to environmental exposures and to understand how diet and genetic background influence these responses. Topics of interest to the CRED range from basic mechanisms of toxicity in model systems, through mechanisms by which environmental stimuli cause disease, to population-based studies that relate exposures, dietary factors or genetic factors to human diseases (including cancer). For more information on current areas of interest, please activate the Research link in the navigation bar above.
We anticipate being able to support up to six Projects this year. Two types of Pilot Project will be eligible for funding this round. Basic research proposals that conform to Center objectives and the Center theme will be considered with budgets up to $30,000. In addition, we wish to fund research designed to facilitate the translation of basic findings to the clinical or public health setting. The second type of Pilot Project will require extensive collaboration between basic researchers and population-based researchers, facilitated by our newly established Integrative Health Sciences Facility Core (FC5). In addition to the basic funding level of $30,000 supplemental funding up to $20,000 per year will be available for these population-based studies, which may require extensive sample recruitment and/or sample collection costs. For both types of Pilot Project, awardees who are not Center Members will also be given access to the Center's Facility Cores, and allotments to help cover the costs of services in the Cores.
ELIGIBILITYApplications will be accepted from Faculty at the rank of Instructor (or Research Assistant Professor) or above at the component Institutions of the CRED: University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, University of Texas at Austin, and the University of Texas School of Public Health - Houston.
Center Members wishing to establish new areas of research, and non-Center Members wishing to enter the field of environmental health sciences research are encouraged to apply.
Only one application will be accepted from any given investigator each year, and recipients of pilot funding are not eligible in the subsequent year. Pilot projects are non-renewable (with one exception for junior Faculty, noted below) and should be designed to facilitate the acquisition of NIEHS funding for long-term studies. Equipment will not be funded. All salaries and fringe benefits for funded pilot projects must be encumbered when the account is set up. Funds encumbered for salaries and fringe benefits will be restricted to that purpose unless written authorization is obtained from the CRED.
To help to recruit newly appointed Faculty Members into environmental health sciences in general, and specifically into Center Membership, junior Faculty of component Institutions (Instructors, Research Assistant Professors, and Assistant Professors appointed no more than 24 months prior to application) will be allowed to apply for Pilot Projects of 2-year duration, with a maximum direct cost of $30,000 per year. The second year funding will be contingent upon satisfactory progress in the first year; this will be evaluated administratively, based on a Progress Report. Population-based studies requiring large expenditures for subject recruitment and/or sample collection that utilize the Integrative Health Sciences Facility Core will be eligible for supplemental funds up to $20,000 per year.
PROCESSPre-proposals (due 1/15/2008) will be reviewed by the Internal Advisory Committee of the CRED for relevance to the Center's mission and goals. Applicants whose Project is judged responsive will be notified by email within about 10 days, and the final proposal will be due 2/29/2008.
Full proposals will be ranked on the basis of the following criteria:
| Criterion | Maximum Points |
| Scientific merit | 60 |
| Responsiveness to the RFA | 20 |
| Potential for NIEHS funding | 10 |
| Supplemental points | 10 |
Full proposals will be reviewed and scored for scientific merit and potential for NIEHS funding by two external reviewers. The Executive Committee of the Administrative Core will then evaluate both the applications and the reviews. A maximum of 20 points will be awarded by the Executive Committee on the basis of responsiveness of the application to the current goals of the Center as stated in the RFA. A maximum of 10 supplemental points will be awarded to applications by the Executive Committee based on evidence of collaboration with Center Members, to encourage junior Faculty development/participation, and on other programmatic considerations. Funding decisions will be announced in late April, and successful applications will be funded approximately May 1.
Application forms and instructions may be requested via email at smcgahan@mdanderson.org; Via written request to the address indicated below, or; Application packages can be downloaded as a Microsoft Word document PDF.
Pre-Proposal Application (.doc) (.pdf)
Final Proposal Application (.doc) (.pdf)
Requests for further information and other inquiries should be addressed to:
Dr. John DiGiovanni
Director
jdigiova@mdanderson.org
OR
Dr. Mike MacLeod
Deputy Director
mcmacleod@mdanderson.org
Please note that protocol approval must be obtained by the grant start date. You may email your completed application to the CRED Administrator, Sydni McGahan, at smcgahan@mdanderson.org.
